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Post by Johnkenn on May 22, 2018 20:22:09 GMT -6
Had one of these when I fist got seriously into recording my own vocals. That was probably 15 years ago...As you can imagine, I don't have it anymore lol. Anyway, I had someone order one from me and had a chance to plug it in and listen again. Really, really nice sounding pre. None of the brightness that people seem to knock it for. The EQ was great and the comp was usable. Attack seemed a tad slow and you can't adjust...but I had forgotten - it's a really nice box. Don't they make a single channel pre the size of the U5 or whatever? Tube? No tube?
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Post by Tbone81 on May 22, 2018 21:56:28 GMT -6
I remember the DI sounding really good on bass. But that was like 15 years ago too.
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Post by geoff738 on May 22, 2018 22:18:55 GMT -6
Yeah I technically still own one Been out on loan for years. Found the pre soft or something. I’ll take my Daking thanks. The eq too I sometimes liked but sometimes just didn’t do it for me. The comp didn’t have the mod to make it faster so it was really slow and I think there was a lot of user error on my part. It’s not a vca and I was trying to use it that way sometimes. I did like the di on bass.
So, I’m a bit lukewarm on it but I don’t think it deserves the scorn it has gotten.
Decent pre. Not big, not fast or transparent to me but fine. It works. The eq I’d like another go round with. Had really mixed feelings. The comp I think I just simply wasn’t using for the right applications. Not real versatile maybe but I should give it another shot as a slow acting levellor rather than a fast transient shaper.
I think it being blingy and spendy didn’t help it.
cheers,
Geoff
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Post by thehightenor on May 23, 2018 3:58:09 GMT -6
Had one of these when I fist got seriously into recording my own vocals. That was probably 15 years ago...As you can imagine, I don't have it anymore lol. Anyway, I had someone order one from me and had a chance to plug it in and listen again. Really, really nice sounding pre. None of the brightness that people seem to knock it for. The EQ was great and the comp was usable. Attack seemed a tad slow and you can't adjust...but I had forgotten - it's a really nice box. Don't they make a single channel pre the size of the U5 or whatever? Tube? No tube? Well for what it's worth IIRC Phil Collins tracks all his vocals at home using a VT737 - it doesn't seem to of stopped him selling trillions of records :-) I have a Millennia Orign STT-1 - which is a similar concept being a channel strip and you know comparing the Origin STT-1 in full fat mode with the transformer in and an all tube path it sounds 90% as great as my BAE 1073 into a Retro STA Level. I think separate components still have the edge but some of these high end channel strip boxes are very, very good imho. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 23, 2018 6:31:02 GMT -6
It’s one of those boxes that impresses at first if you haven’t used it for a while but over time just seams to irk me.
It’s also the box found in almost every rappers set up and at one time the one high end piece found in every Banjo Depot.
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Post by jayfitz on May 23, 2018 7:02:26 GMT -6
While the compressor on the 737 isn't all that great and the unit as a whole doesn't really have a "sound", the pre and EQ were very usable. It's a great de-esser too. Obviously the Babyface mod helped the comp in its later years. But, that was one of the first channel strips to really take off back when boutique outboard was a newer thing. I remember a time when we couldn't keep keep the Mercenary Edition in stock...
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Post by Ward on May 23, 2018 7:13:02 GMT -6
I have over 40 preamps. The Avalon VT737 is a formidable contender for some applications. For spoken word, like rap and voice-over, it is a winner over MANY. Is the compressor sluggish? Sure... a little, but running out of the 737 into an 1176 fixes peaks like a champ. The preamp itself is very musical sounding and the 'softness' geoff738 describes is like the old Hollywood trick of putting vaseline on the camera lens to make the aging stars like more beautiful... or using a softening lens! The 737 can beautify a harsh vocal better than choosing a 'mushy sounding' microphone. But... I don't like it on singing vocals, or guitars, or most drums (but tames a sproingy sounding snare) or other sources. Not bad on bass like Tbone81 states. It loves a Jazz or a Stingray but is disagreeable with a precision. |
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Post by donr on May 23, 2018 12:40:54 GMT -6
I've got a Mercenary Edition 737. Looks badass. I still use it when I don't want 1073 or clinical MH sound but want tubes. It's got a lot of tubes. Heavy too!  Nothing really wrong with Avalon stuff. |
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Post by Tommy Harron on May 23, 2018 12:59:12 GMT -6
Speaking as the buyer of the 737 from John, I can say it's going into a studio that does primarily voiceover work. I think it excels at that duty with it's low noise and generally clean sound, while still imparting a bit of "warmth" to the signal. When all you're listening to is a voice, that low noise profile makes a big difference. The compressor could be faster, yes, but I've had some great luck with vocalists who have a smooth and even sound. Here's one example: soundcloud.com/pavel-rivera-1/remind-me-again-tonal-balanced-mstr-1The DI really works well on bass guitar, as mentioned earlier. |
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Post by aremos on May 23, 2018 15:47:29 GMT -6
I use their non-tube pres (AD2022 stereo - M5 single channel) and really love any mic going into them. They/re totally different than the 7xx tube series.
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Post by yotonic on May 24, 2018 23:36:26 GMT -6
Avalon is totally underrated. Love the M5 with CL1B.
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Post by Ward on May 25, 2018 5:38:24 GMT -6
Speaking as the buyer of the 737 from John, I can say it's going into a studio that does primarily voiceover work. I think it excels at that duty with it's low noise and generally clean sound, while still imparting a bit of "warmth" to the signal. When all you're listening to is a voice, that low noise profile makes a big difference. The compressor could be faster, yes, but I've had some great luck with vocalists who have a smooth and even sound. Here's one example: soundcloud.com/pavel-rivera-1/remind-me-again-tonal-balanced-mstr-1The DI really works well on bass guitar, as mentioned earlier. Well sir, you donr and I seem to be in complete agreement!! Good luck with your work, and exactly as you've stated.... the 737 is a winner in those applications. Folks work with mob mentality sometimes. "the Avalon is awesome!" "No, you're crazy, I hate it" "Oh no, what have I done? I now hate it also". "The Avalon is horrible" and . . . "The Share SM7 is the coolest mic ever, it looks so awesome and makes me look so professional!! It complements my tightly shorn hair on the sides of my head and my long mega ultra bushy lumber-sexual beard". then. . . "Wow, dude, you sound awesome with that AM Radio announcer microphone that people used to use only for the one purpose it was actually good at." |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 25, 2018 6:28:48 GMT -6
Speaking as the buyer of the 737 from John, I can say it's going into a studio that does primarily voiceover work. I think it excels at that duty with it's low noise and generally clean sound, while still imparting a bit of "warmth" to the signal. When all you're listening to is a voice, that low noise profile makes a big difference. The compressor could be faster, yes, but I've had some great luck with vocalists who have a smooth and even sound. Here's one example: soundcloud.com/pavel-rivera-1/remind-me-again-tonal-balanced-mstr-1The DI really works well on bass guitar, as mentioned earlier. Well sir, you donr and I seem to be in complete agreement!! Good luck with your work, and exactly as you've stated.... the 737 is a winner in those applications. Folks work with mob mentality sometimes. "the Avalon is awesome!" "No, you're crazy, I hate it" "Oh no, what have I done? I now hate it also". "The Avalon is horrible" and . . . "The Share SM7 is the coolest mic ever, it looks so awesome and makes me look so professional!! It complements my tightly shorn hair on the sides of my head and my long mega ultra bushy lumber-sexual beard". then. . . "Wow, dude, you sound awesome with that AM Radio announcer microphone that people used to use only for the one purpose it was actually good at." Yeah the problem is and always will be chasing this myth of best vs what works best on that singer/ instrument and finding your own tone. Obviously some people find it useful they sell a bunch of them! |
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Post by Vincent R. on Jun 1, 2018 10:05:52 GMT -6
I’ve never used one, but they are well used in the Hip Hop and R&B circles, especially in conjunction with a U87ai. In fact, I think that was part of the chain of the most recent Justin Timberlake album; U87 into an Avalon 737.
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Nothing really wrong with Avalon stuff. 
